Director, Creative Effectiveness

Job Description
We are seeking a Director of Creative Capabilities to be an integral driver of our mission of becoming the undisputed creative leader in food. The Director will be a strategic thought partner to the VP of Creative Culture & Effectiveness, bringing their unique ideas, toolkit and inspiration to elevate our creative endeavors, while also being an operational powerhouse, passionate about building the systems, processes, tools and routines to raise the bar on creative excellence and effectiveness across the organization. They will help lead and inspire a world-class marketing organization dedicated to pushing the boundaries of creativity in marketing, branding and consumer experience - fostering a culture of curiosity, courage, collaboration and strategic thinking, and empowering the team to consistently deliver exceptional work and think bigger, faster, braver and more impactful than before.
Key Components of the Role:

• Strategic Leadership: Drive the approach and agenda for creative acceleration at Kraft Heinz. Shape, develop and drive the implementation of innovative approaches and tools that inspire and empower the organization to achieve creative excellence and drive business results.
• Operational Excellence: Develop and lead practical plans to close gaps in creative capabilities and expand the program's scope and impact. In partnership with inclusive marketing, insights, media, and external partners, build and optimize systems and processes to ensure effective planning, execution and measurement of creative initiatives.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with key collaborators across the organization. Present ideas and gain consensus from stakeholders to drive the creative agenda forward.
• Hands-on Expertise: Maintain a hands-on approach to understand the realities of the business and the perspectives of marketers and their agency partners. Demonstrate fluency in brand foundations, briefs, and critical brand-building activities (e.g., strategy, consumer insights, design, media, craft).
• Creative Excellence Program: Guide the team driving the vision, planning and roll-out of the next evolution of Kraft Heinz's ACE (Accelerating Creative Excellence) program, to further elevate our capabilities and drive even greater creative impact. Ensure the successful implementation, administration and continuous improvement of the program across the globe, including our external Creative Council, Global Creativity Awards, and comprehensive learning, development & inspiration agenda.
• Agency Relations: Optimize agency relationships to ensure maximum ROI and brand effectiveness, while shaping our engagement and management model to cultivate powerful, long-lasting relationships that continuously elevate creative output.
• Community Inspiration: Oversee the sharing and celebration of creative work and its impact across the organization to enhance internal pride, to inspire a community focused on creative bravery, innovation and impact.
• External Reputation: Manage our external creative reputation through award programs, public engagements and thought leadership initiatives.
• Licensing Strategy: Oversee and support inbound and outbound licensing strategies to support broader brand and business objectives.

Expected Skills & Qualifications:

• Curious, courageous, collaborative and strategic leader passionate about the power of brand, communications & consumer experience to impact strategic direction of business.
• Minimum of 10 years of hands-on experience, including client and/or agency side positions.
• Proven track record of driving creative excellence, innovation, effectiveness and impact.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire and impact teams without direct authority. Strong influence and relationship-building skills with the ability to drive the agenda in ambiguous situations.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities. Ability to create and execute practical plans to achieve strategic objectives.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to create simple, compelling narratives and present ideas effectively.
• Passion for planning, building systems, and executing action plans. Strong project management skills and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated fluency in brand foundations, briefs and critical brand building activities (e.g. strategy, consumer, insights, design, craft, etc.) to influence all brand pillars tools.

Location(s)
Chicago/Aon Center
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact [email protected] .